THE LUPIN NUISANCE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXII, Issue 8257, 23 December 1911, Page 2

THE LUPIN NUISANCE.

TO THE EDITOR. I Sir,—-Some days back I noticed m j your paper so mo remarks on the beauties of the yellow lupin planted by the County Council to iix the moving «r drifting sand m the Itakaia riverb 3!. j believe five acres were sown. The work was woll done, and the lupins have flourished exceedingly. They may have done what was required, but they have done much more. They grow iv shingle and sand and flourish greatly. I-heard some people were thinking they would improve the ,-\shbnrton riverbed. Three years ago there was only an occasional plant to be seen m the lower reaches of the Ilakaia, last year they were getting thick, but this season they are covering hundreds of acres, and make; many places impassable. They are a greater curse than go.-so. Gorse can bo burned, but the lupin cannot. I noticed some of the plants m flower on the Ashburton bank, evidently grown from seed that had. floated down. I fear nothing now can be done to eradicate them, and as they grow to 6 and even 10 feet higi, m the event.of a big flood, the river rnuv encroach ,on the river fiats. It is to be hoped before any are sown m tie Ashburton, the authorities will hay, :t report on the matter. The matter will soon become something not to he admired, although the flowers are pri'ity and the scent and perfume delioiij'l^. December 22; 191T,.